RegGuheert
Well-known member
Allowing a lead-acid battery to sit for even a few days at below 100% SOC can cause irreversible capacity loss in the battery. This is because the lead sulfate which is formed during the discharge reaction will harden to the point where it will never again participate in the charge reaction. The rate at which the lead sulfate hardens is a function of temperature. If the battery is hot, the lead sulfate can harden in as little as three days.DaveinOlyWA said:keep in mind; this battery does not turn an engine over so charging it for "hours" is a waste of energy. i would charge it no more than 15-20 minutes assuming you are back from your trip and will resume daily driving.
FWIW, ICE vehicles are carefully designed so that the lead acid battery gets fully charged soon after the vehicle is started. This way even if the car takes short trips it does not sit at any SOC below 100% for a long period of time.